A man responsible for the deaths of two police officers and a Brinks guard has been released.

Mutulu Shakur, now 72 years old, is being released on "compassionate parole" since he is terminally ill. He has served 38 years since the robbery of an armored truck in Nanuet in 1981.

"Just severe disappointment, especially for the families of officer Brown and Sgt. O'Grady and Brinks guard Peter Paige," said former Nyack Police Chief Robert Van Cura. "This brings some painful memories to the surface again, especially this time when we're getting ready to celebrate Christmas."

The two police officers died in 1981 after being ambushed at a roadblock set up by police after members of the radical "Weather Underground" robbed a Brinks armored truck carrying $1.6 million at Nanuet Mall. An armored guard was also killed in that attack.

"There are three men that will never see their families again," said Van Cura.

Shakur, the stepfather of murdered rapper Tupac Shakur, has advanced bone cancer and other medical ailments.

In granting his release, the parole commission determined that Shakur, sentenced to 60 years in prison for conspiracy, bank robbery, and bank robbery-murder, no longer threatened society.

He will reportedly live with his family in southern California.

A memorial stands on Route 59 as a testament to the two Nyack police officers who gave their lives on that fateful day in 1981.